Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) and the Winter Blues
Seasonal Affective Disorder or (SAD) is a form of depression that people experience at a particular time of year. It is normal to feel more cheerful and energetic when the sun is shining and the days are longer, or to find that you eat more or sleep longer in winter. However, if you experience SAD, the change in seasons will have a much greater affect on your mood and energy levels, and lead to symptoms of depression that have a significant impact on your day-to-day life.
What are the common signs of SAD in the winter months?
– Lack of energy for everyday tasks, such as studying or going to work;
– Concentration problems;
– Sleep problems;
– Depression – feeling sad, low, tearful, guilty, like you have let others or yourself down;
– Anxiety – tenseness and inability to cope with everyday stresses;
– Panic attacks;
– Mood changes – in some people, bursts of hyperactivity;
– Overeating – particularly craving carbohydrates and putting on weight;
– Being more prone to illness – some people with SAD may have a lowered immune system during the winter.
Ways to Help
Daily exercise and exposure to sunlight, particularly at midday, can help alleviate Seasonal Affective Disorder, it may feel cold out but wrap up and go for a brisk walk at lunch time!
Try to go to the gym or go for a run to boost serotonin and endorphins – the happy cocktail.
– Deficiency in Vitamin B12 can result in a host of illnesses like anaemia, fatigue, depression, it is also needed to convert carbohydrates into glucose in the body, which in turn creates more energy and less fatigue and lethargy in the body. It can be taken orally or by Injection as a health shot.
– Working in an office also undermines our ability to build up the reserves needed to get through the winter because even at the height of summer there are only four hours a day from 11am to 3pm when it is bright enough to make Vitamin D. So taking a Vitamin D supplement and adding Vitamin D rich foods like fatty fish, tuna, mackerel and salmon, beef liver, cheese and egg yolks as well as foods fortified with Vitamin D. Some dairy products, orange juice, soy milk and cereals can also help. Even though evidence of the importance of Vitamin D may be new, we have long recognised the healing power of the sun.
Did you know Victorian Doctors routinely prescribed rest in a sanatorium soaking up the sun as a cure for Tuberculosis a successful treatment which fell out of favour with the discovery of antibiotics!
Light therapy can offer an effective treatment for depression and can be used at home for your convenience.
If symptoms are Severe seek medical help as some people do require antidepressants. Don’t suffer in silence.
Party Season Preparation Treatments
It’s fast approaching the Christmas party season, here are a few treatments that can help you look and feel your best:-
Bingo Wing Blaster – Mesotherapy fat reducing injections and skin tightening cocktails can make arms look better in that little black dress. Also the backs of the arms can suffer with red blotchy skin and bumps. Intense Pulsed Light and skin peeling can help.
Hydrate and plump skin with the fantastic Restylane skin booster Vital range as promoted by Hollywood A lister Sharon Stone, furthermore a Mesotherapy cocktail of vitamins and antioxidants can feed the much needed winter skin syndrome.
Party Glow Peel – With a variety of different mild acidic peeling agents we can treat all skin types and conditions by finding the right peel to smooth out the skin tone and make you glow.
Lip Definition to wear bright lipstick – Would you be comfortable wearing your favourite bright Christmas lipstick? If not a small amount of lip filler around the outline can stop your lipstick bleeding and give you a youthful defined mouth.